


Dear Bella, Count Me In

by WindblownRebel



Series: Bella, Count Me In [1]
Category: Dear Bella Count Me In, Dreamer 202, Furry (Fandom)
Genre: Almost Assault, Anal Sex, Bar Scene, Drunken Shenanigans, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Greenhouse Sex, I write smuts not tragedies, Multi, Oral Sex, Outdoor Sex, Phone Sex, Sex Toys, Shower Sex, Smoking, Threesome - F/F/M, Vaginal Sex, Webcam/Video Chat Sex, all of these are OCs - Freeform, bella listens to sex, damn I'm bad at tags, dreamer 202 rewrite, first time F/F, fluffy cuddles, friendly cuckolding, sex cam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:34:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22304242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindblownRebel/pseuds/WindblownRebel
Summary: This is a rewrite of Dreamer 202. It's a more accurate representation of what I wanted the story to feel like, and it follows a slightly different plotline for the sake of my health, ahaha.
Relationships: Alice Brooks/Bella Green, Alice Brooks/Bella Green/Geo, Alice Brooks/Geo, Bella Green/Jazzie Evans, Bella Green/Sivil Everett
Series: Bella, Count Me In [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605469
Kudos: 1





	1. Smut Up & Dance

Spring break had overrun Eugene, Oregon once again. With this fact in mind, the locals all knew where to go for a quiet getaway from the party-goers: a hole in the wall establishment run by a man who goes by Bill. To be a patron of Bill’s Place meant you’re greeted by name and your glass filled before you have a chance to sit down. Biggest downside to the establishment, most women thought, was that it generally hosted the largest sausage fest west of the Cascades. Bella, however, was a regular. She brought all her friends in rotation, earning her a permanent chair at the bar. 

A number of new faces graced the bar that night, a few in particular standing out to her and her friends. Knowing glances were shared between her entourage – it had been a very long time since she’d taken an interest in male company, and tonight there was an extra spring to her step that was noticeable to most. 

“G’morning Bill, anything exciting going on?” Alice asked with a squeak. The woman’s bouncy red curls bounced with the momentum it took to hop onto the bar stool – the diminutive rodent was adept at scaling furniture, given her height challenge. 

“Ah, just the same flavor shit as always,” he replied. A brown bottle appeared in front of her promptly. 

“Surprise me tonight, I’m feeling frisky,” Bella said. He nodded and started pulling bottles. She took her time to survey the room from the corner of the old, wooden bar. Very few people frequented his bar that she didn’t recognize by face, but with the influx of college students out partying this week there’d been new people everywhere. 

Three men were gathered at the end of a pool table bantering over the rims of their glass mugs, with a fourth leaning down to take his shot at the table. Her gaze slid over each of them in turn, a hunger bubbling to the surface as she eyed the prospects. They’d taken notice of her when she walked in, obvious due to the volume increase from that end of the room. Boys will be boys, volume and all.

“What do you think?” She turned to Alice, a smile playing on her lips. 

The young woman eyed her friend, deciding what to do. She began to grin, grabbed her bottle, and hopped down from her seat. Alice made a beeline for the pool table with the dudes, opening with an inaudible conversation starter. Bella didn’t know what she had in mind, but it didn’t matter. They’d been friends for so long that she’d seen every trick the mouse had to offer. 

A white fox walked over and sat in Alice’s cooling chair, body language indicating he wanted to speak to her. Her blue eyes pinned him down with an unspoken question. He smiled, took a drink of his ale, then unfolded a five dollar bill between them.

“Your friend over there bet me this fiver that you could beat me in a game of pool. What do you say to that?” He dropped it on the counter. A plan was forming within her. That clever woman had done it this time. 

“Deal. But if I win the game you have to come over to my place tonight.” She took a long draw from her glass before heading over to her friend. He didn’t have a chance to answer, instead choosing to set the table up for their match. She leaned against Alice for a moment.

“So you know I’m shit at pool, right?” The wolf side-eyed her friend a moment. Alice grinned.

“Yeah but it got you over here, so let’s have some fun,” she said. Fair enough.

After three rounds of 2v2, the boys were unanimously victorious. They’d paired off, with two of the men picking a second table to play pool at together – obviously a couple, they were happy to step back and watch their friends play the field, as it were. They made for an interesting duo: a large, dark-furred lion and a small, cream-colored rabbit. 

“Ladies, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you played yourselves on purpose,” the grey and white fox yipped. He seemed pleased that they’d given him such an easy win, unlike his friend. They’d introduced themselves at the start of their matches as Geo and Raelin, but the maned wolf hardly spoke. He was abrasive, putting very little energy into entertaining the beautiful women his friend had taken a liking to. Bella noticed his eyes wandering, but it was towards the only other woman currently drinking alone – a light-furred lady across the room who was doing hard liquor shots in between songs. Her hips were magnetic, inviting warm ideas from the young wolf as well. 

“So what about you? Your little friend here talked you up, ma’am,” Geo said. The cocky smirk on his whiskered snout made her shiver. 

“Of course she did. Have to talk me up high enough that you’ll go down without a fight...” She chalked the tip of her pool cue, intending to imply implications. Raelin chuckled in his baritone but didn’t say anything. 

“Geo, can I trust you by yourself for a while? Don’t cause too much trouble for your new friends, please.” Raelin excused himself before anyone could respond, slipping back to join with the other two for a while. Geo smiled back in response and Alice watched him leave with curiosity bursting under her cherry red bangs. That left but the one man between the two women, something he seemed keenly aware of. In one smooth motion he slid up to Bella and clinked his rim to hers, starting in on another brew. She was about to finish her second, and the alcohol was beginning to take effect. Suddenly she wished she’d made a different bet with the fox, where he came home with her as a reward for his win… 

“Raelin shouldn’t have left me alone, you’re too much woman for me to handle and I need help,” his gaze lingered on her warmly, a smile playing at his lips. 

“Aw, that’s a shame. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time,” Bella said with only partial sympathy. She watched Alice wander onto the dance floor, sending her off with a confirmation wave when they linked eyes. “Do you dance, Geo? I’m feeling down for some fun tonight.” Some couples were club dancing, following imaginary lines on the floor in sensuous patterns. 

“Not very well, back home in Miami it’s really only the bump and grind. Does that count?” He winced playfully, putting his cue on the wall rack it came from. She tutted at him, giving him a look that said _watch this_. Dance, for her, was one of the best parts of coming to Bill’s Place. 

It didn’t take long for her to find a dance partner, with there being so many single gentlemen around the edge of the dance area waiting for a partner to approach. 

Immediately her feet were in motion, the angle of the room tilting in a fluid change of perspective. Partners changed as the songs flowed together; brief glimpses of Alice dancing flashed under the mood lighting on the floor as she swayed past. Time, here, was impossible – too soon she felt herself tire, causing her to step away in search of hydration. Her original place at the bar was found, Geo and his friends forgotten after her exercise. Not far behind her was the diminutive mouse, her mess of curls bouncing with excitement. They chattered about their experiences so far that night as they people watched. 

From her new place in the room she could better see the woman that the maned wolf had been paying attention to earlier. She too, was out on the dance floor off and on, still drinking at an impossible rate. The pair watched as Raelin walked over to her table while she was away, engaging in a conversation with her upon her return. Her laugh was loud enough to hear from their seats, causing them to guess what he was saying to her. 

He walked up to the bar and asked Bill for two bottles of Guinness and returned to her. She spoke to him for a moment then proceeded to shotgun her entire bottle, leaving him standing stunned when she returned to the dance floor. He seemed unsure of whether to stay or go back to his friends, but waited patiently for her until she was apparently ready to leave. 

“So what happened to the smooth talker you were playing with earlier?” Alice ribbed, “Geo seemed pretty fun. Really witty.” 

Bella raised her eyebrows and gave a slow smile. “Geo couldn’t dance and I wanted to. You know how it goes. And he’s from Florida... Heh, ‘Florida Man’ strikes again.” As if summoned, he walked over to the two ladies at the bar. His bright green eyes were fixed upon the wolf’s sky blue pair. 

“Do you need an Uber home?” Geo’s phone was out and ready on the app, presumably for himself if their conversation didn’t go in his favor. 

The girls smiled privately to one another momentarily; Alice lived right behind the building the bar was located, and Bella lived 3 blocks away in the neighborhood next to this one. “If you’d like to walk with me, there’s a creek that has a wooded path that takes you past any traffic getting to my place.” Bella was pleased he’d returned. They were roughly the same height, and he had charisma to match hers. It spelled for a fun night for both of them. 

“That sounds fun, please lead the way. Ma’am, are you joining us?” He addressed Alice pleasantly, his words honeyed. She considered her options. 

“Sounds like fun, honestly. Why the fuck not.” Bella grinned and grabbed her things, leading the way home. On the way out, both the lion and the rabbit whistled at them from the parking lot, their Uber driver having just pulled up. They catcalled Geo, rooting him on. Everyone laughed, parting ways in their two groups. Raelin was long gone, having slipped into the night with his wild pale dancer.

The walk home was fun, with Alice deciding to take the lead. Geo looped his hand into Bella’s and leaned into her during the beginning of the trip, mumbling to her about how beautiful both of the ladies were. She was flattered, and agreed that the mouse was cute. 

Once the trees surrounded the trio, a small wooden bridge cut over the creek to take them across. There was natural foliage enclosing the entire double-block area they were moving through, something of an impromptu park. It was one of the wolf’s and mouse’s favorite places, where they’d grown up playing together as preteens into adulthood. Incidentally, it was their usual hangout place if they were smoking or spending time with new friends or fuckbuddies. 

A small path they’d worn into the ground led to a hidden clearing, which had a few cement stools and a decorative metal table. Rocks lined its border, with the creek butting up against it to create a U shape. If it picked up enough mountain runoff, they could catch small fish. Tonight, their catch was a fox.

From within Alice’s cigarette carton a perfectly rolled blunt was procured, lit, and passed to the wolf. She double toked, shotgunning to Geo. His lips locked with hers upon contact, lingering once he’d taken her hit from her. His exhale carried a large stream of smoke, followed by his own hit. Alice leaned up against his back, her hand sliding into his hoodie pocket to keep herself close as she passed back to Bella. His hands began to roam as well, forward and down to the young red wolf’s perky ass beneath her flowing skirt. His white and grey furred hands drew her skirt up in the back, revealing the woman hadn’t worn underwear that night. Both cheeks were given an appreciative squeeze, their noses pressed closely. 

Around from behind him came two lightly furred hands, both reaching up underneath his hoodie and shirt. He murred at the pleasant petting he was given, especially once they unzipped his pants. His boxers slid down enough to expose his sheath, a glistening red tip peeking up with excitement. Bella sat on the bench with her skirt up, leaned off the end so that the diminutive mouse could settle between her legs; the arctic fox sidled up to the tawny wolf, holding her muzzle up to his precum dripping tip.

Her tongue slid from her mouth, exposing the tongue ring for the first time that night. The bottom of the piercing nudged his cock, hot from her mouth but rapidly cooling in the outdoor air. His eyes closed with a bodily shiver while he listened to the mouse busy herself with bringing the wolf to climax. When he glanced back down she’d closed her eyes, the arousal causing her to breathe heavily. It was enough to send his cock fully twitching to life. Bella’s tongue caressed it from below, holding it up to her lip. She looked up to him as she swallowed him down her throat, nose bumping his pelvis to blow a warm breath before beginning to suck. And god, did she suck. Alice and Bella watched as Geo’s soul nearly left his body, giving him a blowjob he wouldn’t readily forget any time soon. She cupped his balls with a light touch, enjoying how they twitched when she repeatedly edged him on the line of orgasm. 

Finally Alice sat up, licking her whiskered lips happily. She smelled of sex at both ends, both the canine and vulpine could pick it up from her. With a quick bounce she hopped onto the table, which was sturdier than Geo had originally guessed. He was beginning to think this wasn’t the first time she’d done this. On one edge of the square table she squirmed until her hips were hanging over the edge slightly and pulled her leggings down to her knees; she curled a finger at Geo to bring him over, to which he happily obliged. She didn’t seem overly concerned with the size difference between their bodies when the tip of his cock began sliding against her folds. He gripped the back of her knees and held her legs against her cute chest, her toes resting on his shoulders. Both of her hands wrapped around his girth and teased it against her slit – he was trying to be gentle, worry crossing his face.

The wolf leaned over the over edge of the table to give her mouse a soft, long kiss. As she did, he popped the tip into her tiny hole, kneading deeper with each thrust. It surprised him that the rodent could take as much of him as she did, leaving only his knot to grind against her clit. There wasn’t much room to navigate her narrow passage but he did, squeezing deep with each thrust. The two lady lovers stayed close to one another, the larger of the two petting and caressing the other. It took the fox a moment to realize the quivering around his cock was her cumming repeatedly until she took a breath in and groaned with ecstasy. He licked the pad of his thumb before rubbing against the mouse’s hooded clit, a small hoop hood piercing peeking from between her labia folds. His fingers pushed it up, exposing her clit completely. 

Geo sat still while he worked his thumb against her, coaxing her to squeeze him so tight that he ended up blowing his load unexpectedly within her. As his cock slid from inside, her pussy leaked onto the grass below. He stepped around to the opposite side of the table where Bella was still leaned over, tail lifted in the air expectantly. Her voluptuous tits were hanging from her front-tying shirt, nipple rings flashing in the moonlight. One nipple was currently being attacked by Alice, lazily tracing circles in the golden brown fur with her tongue. 

“What a pair of women to run into,” he sighed as his still-hard cock rubbed the wolf’s anus. It was sticky from his fun with her friend, allowing him to poke his tip into her with ease. Her hips rotated to pull him deeper. She yelped with barely contained delight as he began to pump with a steadily increasing rhythm into her ass. Her pussy dripped below, slapped repeatedly by his heavy balls. The fox grabbed a handful of hair and tangled his fingers into it to keep her from bouncing the table. 

He swore suddenly, pulling out to mark her pussy with a second jet of seed. Pumping himself dry on her ass and lips, his shaft twitched momentarily before he went back at it, switching holes. With Bella he could penetrate to his heart’s content, every inch being swallowed by her soft insides. There wasn’t a chance of him finishing again so soon but it felt nice. Alice had turned around to give Bella a taste of herself, and Bella was all too eager to enjoy her little woman’s depths. It was a wonder to him that their piercings didn’t get tangled, between the wolf’s tongue bar and her hood ring. His cock dreamily stirred her depths as he watched, his tip barely nudging into her cervix. It was enough for her to cum, allowing her to grind at the angles she liked as she put her attention towards her lover. 

Only once Bella was convinced Alice was clean did she stop, having made herself very messy as well. Geo sat down on the bench to find his waning energy, allowing the girls to clean him up quickly. It was the first time he’d felt two tongues at once and it sent shivers through his core. Even from its receding position within his sheath he could feel excess cum leaking. It was a miracle there was water left within him after the workout they’d given him. 

And it didn’t quite stop there, he discovered. Bella pulled his glasses off, leaving them safely on top of the table so that she could lay him backward onto the cool stone. He smiled as her warm, fluffy mound was positioned over his short muzzle, allowing him to slide his tongue directly into her warm folds. Alice righted her clothing and lit a cigarette while she waited for the other two to finish. 

Once they reached the safety and comfort of the bedroom they piled in together, fur against fur and bodies curled together.


	2. Do I Wanna Know?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella gets dragged by Alice to meet up with their bar friends from the night before. She finds out should have used the buddy system.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every chapter title is gonna be based on music, which is the first time I've done that as an author. Everybody gotta start somewhere~ ;D

Bella woke up to voices in her kitchen. She panicked until Alice’s familiar laugh pierced the hushed tones – all was well, she remembered. Details from the night before began to filter in through whatever dream she’d had that night. A hot mug of coffee was steaming on her messy bedside table. Yikes. Maybe Bella should have cleaned a bit before going to the club… But they were here now, and she didn’t really mind too much because her house guest wasn’t alone. The blankets felt like they hugged her closer, encouraging her to roll over and go back to bed. It was an urge she resisted, as she usually had to on her days off. 

The coffee wasn’t sweet enough. The wolf knew by taste alone that the fox had made her mug that morning, because the women had been bringing each other caffeine since they could remember. A few sips in and she got up, fueled by her taste buds screaming for sugar. Rummaging through the clean laundry basket yielded a comfy gown that she usually slept in, which doubled as a lazy day dress in a pinch. In the time it took her to get dressed both voices in the common area had gotten very quiet. Mug in hand, the young woman made her way to the coffee pot, where a half-smoked joint was laid out like bait to draw her close. She lit up and savored her first puff while doctoring her drink and happened to look up as a quiet sound drew her attention; through the window in her dividing wall she saw a tiny set of mouse ears above the couch cushions. A soft whimper alerted Bella to what was going on. She smiled, took another long drag, and crept around the corner.

The arctic fox they’d brought home with them the night before had his nose buried between her thighs and was working studiously. The golden-furred wolf bent down and murmured words of encouragement to her friend, passing the lit joint off. With a little kiss to the top of Alice’s red-curled head she wandered off to check her assorted houseplants. It was too early for her to consider sex. With no particular thoughts taking hold within her, Bella wandered from room to room. She vaguely picked up on the fact that Geo was concerned they’d upset her and Alice letting him know they hadn’t. Her morning routines demanded to be upheld. The steam from the coffee perfumed her in a cloud, mixed with the fertilizer she sprayed on her plants’ soil. 

She believed firmly that peace came primarily from the fulfillment of one’s favorite activities. For some, that was making connections to people – Alice, for example. Most of what she knew about accepting herself came from the friendship she’d built with her. The near-stranger who spent the night with them was a new development for both of them – they’d never actually shared anyone before, though it had been an idea they’d spoken of before. It was still a new idea for Bella, yet it fit surprisingly well. Bodies aren’t something to get territorial over, after all – the mind is where each individual grew, thus the heart was of greater importance to her. A creak came from the couch, the two lovers moving around. Soft curves wrapped up around her from behind, rocking them happily. 

“Thank you honey,” Alice said. 

“Oh, you. Of course, silly.” She smiled. 

“He said he’s gonna make breakfast for us before his friend picks him up. Hungry yet?” Her eyes sparkled, still glowing from her early morning exercise. The wolf nodded back, draining her mug. 

“Are pancakes alright for y’all?” His dark nose poked through the dividing wall over top of the coffee pot. They signaled with thumbs up, leaving him to rummage through the kitchen for tools. 

The girls talked quietly until he signaled food was ready. The group of dude bros apparently had plans to party at the open air festival downtown from midday to whenever they burned out, along with nearly every other mid-twenties college student in the area. It had been a while since Bella had gotten out of the house, tempting her to join in. It was difficult to choose between a quiet day to herself or the chance at an adventure with newly-made friends. What the hell, she figured. It was the first dry spring break Eugene had had in a while, best to capitalize on the good weather. Alice left after breakfast, to get ready in the comfort of her own place. 

They all exchanged numbers to keep in touch, Geo’s ride being on its way already. From the curb a dusty tan car honked, the tall maned wolf from the night before looking grouchy in the driver’s side. Bella attempted to offer him coffee but he held up a Cup O’ Joe travel mug and took a massive gulp. He didn’t seem to handle daylight well, though from the looks of it she guessed he was very hungover from the club last night. With a wave the two men departed, leaving her to her own devices until Alice walked back over. 

It didn’t seem like all that long before the mouse reappeared, a small backpack and metal water bottle at the ready instead of her girly purse she usually toted. Dressing for spring in Oregon was mildly frustrating; both girls had a light, water-resistant jacket tucked in their travel bags just in case the sky decided to change its mind. Alice had opted for a rock t-shirt from her favorite band and a pair of wildly-patterned baggy pants. The wolf had dug through her closet to the back where most of the odds and ends were pushed, finding a sleeveless turtleneck shirt that kept her warm but let her keep range of motion. She was pressured into wearing her Tripp pants that unzipped at the knees into shorts, a relic of her teenage years she should have gotten rid of by now. 

“Really? You know we’re not in high school anymore, fam.” Bella felt out of place but knew she’d blend in with everyone else at the festival. Alice saw her discomfort but bounced around and threw compliments at her instead of letting her get changed out of the outfit. She sighed, resigned. 

Traffic was bad enough that they abandoned the car early and walked the last few blocks through side streets; there were loud pedestrians traveling both directions, some painted and wearing wire and silk flower crowns from vendors, others wobbling in an obvious effort to walk straight. Music swelled loudly, small crowds cheering for various artists playing on stages set up at major intersections in the streets. From the outside it was chaos, yet it made sense once they were swallowed by the flow of the party-goers. The girls lingered around stages that played their style, dancing and bouncing along with the front audience members. 

The food options were as wide as the selection of people to look at – all walks of life were represented naturally coexisting, one of the major selling points of their city. Food and drinks in hand, Alice motioned Bella over to a section of curb that was unoccupied and thankfully devoid of discarded trash. Fuel during their excursion was one of their favorite parts, with all the best vendors showing up to make a penny off the excitement. Each of their plates was different, split in half so they each got something new. A vaguely familiar lion walked by, chasing a set of pale yellow ears through the foot traffic. 

“Wait, those guys that just walked by were with Geo and Raelin,” Bella noted, “Which means...” Two more familiar characters walked by, pointing ahead to wherever the first pair wandered off to. Raelin pulled his phone out and dialed someone, covering his other ear. They swiveled around in place to search, catching Bella’s eyes in the process. Recognition passed over Geo’s face and he bee-lined over to the tiny mouse next to her; Raelin followed pursuit the second the white-furred fox changed course ahead of him. 

“Did you see our two space cadets? I think they’re headed toward the food,” Geo didn’t look too concerned. Raelin, however, showed escalating signs of frustration. Bella stood up quickly.

“How about y’all stay here and keep an eye out. I’ll take the immovable rod over here and scope out the food area, we were just there ourselves.” Her blue eyes pleaded with the young man, hoping it would be what he needed. It was close enough; he nodded and followed her. Once they were out of the group’s earshot he opened up.

“Funny you would call me the immovable rod. Bit of a niche reference; was it intended for me, or as an inside joke with Alice?” His strides shortened to let her keep up, parting pedestrians with his size alone. 

“It was just a guess, you seem like you’re a nerd. Your friends seem more the type, though,” Bella shrugged. She hadn’t put much thought into her words before she’d spoken up.

“They’re down for whatever, I’m the only one with a dedication to anything you’d actually consider nerdy.” He raised an arm to motion at the wayward pair, their faces stuffed with giant corn dogs and walking nachos. They babbled to each other about things they’d seen, pointing out literally every pet they saw along the way. Once grouped together again they seemed to hit it off rather well with Alice, surprising Bella very little. 

“Are you two dating? Sorry if I’m being too forward.” She was brought out of her silence by the rabbit, who’d trained his attention on the ladies. Both of them flushed pink under their fur, but the wolf didn’t mind.

“We met when Alice moved into the same neighborhood as me and we had to ride the same bus home. The two of us have been as thick as thieves for half our lives, now,” the woman smiled. The boys awed and leaned on each other, hands twined together. 

“Sounds like us, but we met online. Last year we finally got married, we traveled across the states for our honeymoon.” It was sweet to see two people that loved each other as much as they did, especially when the internet was involved. Usually the distance was too much for couples. 

“So you’re telling me that both of you conventionally attractive ladies are single? How’s that even possible?” The fox grinned at Alice, both of their gazes holding unspoken ideas.

“Gross. Get a room and leave the rest of us out of it,” Raelin scrunched his nose up. PDA was obviously too much for the Scrooge that evening. 

“Tough talk coming from a guy who gets the hots for crazy,” Geo chortled. 

“Okay, you guys. I’m getting tired, so my twink ass is going back to the hotel. Ta ta, ladies. It was nice to meet you!” The rabbit wouldn’t leave until he’d gotten both girls’ social media handles and had his fluffy maned protector wrapped arm-in-arm with him on the walk home. 

Bella put her hair up in a messy bun and waved the remaining crew out to the crowd again, weaving deftly into the center of the pulsing body of strangers. Energy was flowing freely that night and she aimed to soak it up like a sponge. Within the last 20 minutes, the sky had darkened and transitioned through a gradient of yellows, purples, and finally into the dark of night. Trees reached out of the shadows, individual clusters of branches lifted out in sharp relief by streetlamps. Nearby, Raelin had posted up on a garden’s retaining wall to keep an eye on his people. His watchful gaze switched between her, Geo, Alice, and the musicians playing. 

When the festivities wound down for the night they parted ways, with Bella making her way to the car alone. Her friend chose to take Geo home to her apartment that night rather than risk waking up his friends at his hotel room. The women double and triple-checked that they’d be okay leaving separately, neither one willing to let anything happen to the other. With a wave and a smile Geo and Alice bid her adieu, leaving her to herself. Stragglers leaving the main thoroughfare dotted the sidewalks on her path back to her car, causing her a sense of unease. A tall, highly intoxicated deer wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they walked down the road.

“Why hello pretty lady,” he hiccuped. She was almost bowled over by his weight on her shoulder.

“Uh...” She couldn’t speak. Anxiety gripped her chest. 

“You got any plans tonight? Come hang wit me,” his voice was nearly incoherent. 

“N-… No thanks, I’m not really in the mood...” The wolf stammered out, unsure of how to proceed.

“Lay off, dick wad. She’s obviously not interested in a sloppy mess.” From the bushes came Raelin, bringing her immense relief. He held a hand out to her, which she reached for. He pulled her close with a firmness she wasn’t expecting, but he didn’t seem to be paying attention to her directly yet. His steely gaze was pinned on the drunkard in front of them.

“We was just playing, bro.” His hands flew up in a peaceful gesture, backing off immediately.

“Just playing or no, the buck stops here.” He spun the two of them around and nearly carried the woman to her car. She was in shock. Without asking permission he planted himself in the passenger seat, silently riding home with her. Once she was at her front door, showing him she was locking the deadbolt behind herself, he seemed satisfied enough to continue walking onward to his original destination.

☾~☽

Within the comfort of her own home, Bella was reeling. It was the first time as an adult that she’d had a confrontation and it wasn’t pleasant. She picked a stick of incense to burn and grabbed her phone. Right away she decided the night wasn’t a disaster, reminding herself that all was well. A mug of tea was procured, and two texts sent out: the first to Alice to let her know Raelin protected her tonight, and the second to her next-closest friend, Sivil. He was the closest thing she had to a brother, in a way, and rarely was he ever very far away. Her tin was pulled out, a smoke rolled, and summarily lit. The medicinal smoking had brought her a breath of fresh air, though not quite as expected. Her mind wandered and made its way to the ocean, with the sound of waves crashing against stone and sand. Seagulls harangued her from above, never quite within grasp. Her leg muscles felt the phantom sensations of running through sand and standing in cold water. Whenever she had problems to work through, no matter how far from the sea she was, Bella made time to go for a walk. 

An engine cut at the curb. Even with her eyes closed the wolf could tell who opened the door – Sivil was the only person left in her life that drove a motorcycle. He stayed standing with his arms open, demanding hugs. His leather and gear smelled like the open road, with his blue-black fur ruffled underneath. An overnight bag was slung onto the couch. 

“What’s up, hun? You don’t usually send up a bat signal this late at night unless the house is on fire,” his voice was a deep base that carried even when he spoke gently. His tall frame hugged her tight and rocked her to soothe the anxiety flowing deeply through her gut. Bella sighed.

“If it wasn’t for one of the guys we met at the club last night protecting me I might have ended up really hurt. I didn’t feel comfortable being alone tonight… Alice has a guest over and I didn’t know what to do.” She felt defeated. There wasn’t any chance of an intruder at her location, yet she was still concerned. 

“Say no more. I’ll be your guardian tonight, just go about your business.” He waved his hand like it wasn’t even a thing, causing her to smile. It was infectious, making Sivil smile back. 

“Really, I think I just need to finish my tea and rest. It’s been a long day.” She plopped down next to him on the couch, folding neatly into the space next to him. The jackal had grabbed the remote and console controller and was loading into a racing game. While he waited for the game to boot up he petted her head idly. Bella seemed so fragile from the outside looking in, but from the inside she saw herself steadily shoring up her recently stressed foundations. By the next day all would be well – just another day. She hoped. 

The next morning brought an empty house. And so it usually went, when she called her dark angel and his iron horse. Long ago she’d been wistful as he departed. Yet, as they grew closer they usually grew further apart – the separation between them being the difference between thriving and settling, and both the red wolf and jackal knew it. They’d tried, once. The nature of Bella’s love was such that it never grew, nor did it shrink. Not many people were able to keep up with her fluid understanding of the world, leading her to seem permanently detached from the mainstream reality. Select few people followed related ebbing and flowing of life’s tide, and he was one of them. A few times the two of them had gone years without talking, yet once contact was reestablished it largely seemed that it was business as usual. 

Bella respected him. For all the ups and downs their friendship had, the trio were strongly tied together even into adulthood. That alone was enough to marvel at, for her. As a child most of her family disappeared from her life, taken one by one through time and tide. To say she struggled didn’t begin to describe the learning curve she went through when teaching herself how to choose her own adopted family. Sivil was one of the first to meet her during the formative stages and knew more about her than he probably knew about himself, though Bella might admit the same about the other two if she was asked. 

☾~☽

That afternoon began the next work week ahead of her, pulling her back into the rhythm of her life. It wasn’t that time flew – it just became a steady course, hurdles navigated with natural ease. When she was able to achieve the flow it was easy for a few weeks or months to float by, which is why she kept so many plants. They grow steadily, natural markers of how much time has transpired. Horticulture takes a level of patience that seemed to slow the world around Bella down. 

Her greenhouse was beginning to burst with life, meaning the seasons had officially changed. Alice had recently transferred colleges to something closer to Geo, allowing her to move down to Florida. This was the first time Bella and Alice had been separated for very long, and neither were taking the breakup very well; the wolf had begun living at work and in her garden to distract herself from boredom. At least the farmer’s market scene would be opening in a few weeks, giving her yet another set of things to look forward to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sjsadfnvsfjfn I'm so ready to tell the whole story, lmao. I hope you enjoyed!!


	3. Save a Horse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella's gotten busy with work and farmer's markets, but not so much that she can't meet new people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alice is Bella's BFF and she's incomplete without her. I think that's enough angst for me so early in the story, lol.

“I’ll take this one.”

“That’ll be $5, please,” Bella looked up from her stall to a very tall mare holding a potted plant, blushing suddenly. It was hard not to stare, the lady was quite pretty. 

“Here you go, keep the change,” the woman smiled and handed over a folded stack of one dollar bills. 

“That’s too kind, are you sure?” It was rare for her to get tips. She unfolded the money after the lady walked off; inside was a $10 bill with a phone number on it. What. For real?

[BG] _If you need help taking care of your plant, just ask. ^_^ My name’s Bella_  
[??] _Hey, I’m Jazzie. You do this all by yourself? Independent *and* sexy_  
[BG] _Oh jeez, nothing very stylish here. You could come see the greenhouse later, once I’m home. If that’s not too weird._  
[JE] _Sounds fun, I’ll call you later then?_  
[BG] _Didn’t expect you to be interested in me, you’re so sweet. I’ll be done here in a few hours and I’m not far away from the marketplace._  
[JE] _I saw you last summer but you were so pretty that I got cold feet. Wish I’d spoken up sooner, omg._

Bella bounced through the rest of her afternoon, curious what her meeting with Jazzie would be like. Midday didn’t come quickly enough for the impatient wolf; she had everything packed into the bed of her truck and had just sat down to check her texts when Jazzie appeared again, hips swaying as she wove between vendors cleaning up their stall zones. The wolf’s pointed ears twitched and she combed her hair with her nails to soothe some of her nerves.

“Hey girl, you didn’t even give me a chance to message you,” Bella smiled.

“I figured we could grab a bite for lunch, I’m starving.” The taller woman smiled back, pushing her flaxen bangs out of her eye. She had a sweater on to protect against the sharp breeze playing around them, pulled tighter each time she was buffeted. 

“That works for me, let’s grab some food from the trucks before we head to my place,” Bella suggested. 

“Works for me, I’m always down for street food.” It was difficult for the shorter girl to keep up, meaning she stayed trotting behind her new acquaintance. But goodness, her ass; Jazzie’s tail was long, braided with a black satin ribbon to keep it tidy. Very distracting for her, it was tempting to reach out and grab it. 

They met back up at Bella’s apartment, which was honestly more like a house that was rented out – at one point it had been a duplex, but due to it being too small the dividing walls had been modified to renovate the building. The mare ooh’ed and aah’ed, genuinely intrigued by her backyard garden. The girls ended up eating outside in the greenhouse, sitting on crates around her worktable. It turned out her new friend had upper middle-class parents who worked their lives away, leaving her with no real idea of who she wanted to be. Jaz reminded the wolf of herself; parallels caught both of them off guard, bringing up a few main differences.

“My mom would kill me if she found out I’m not interested in the same things she is, I think I was supposed to be her replacement body when hers wears out,” she scoffed. 

“Really? I loved figuring out who I was, like I get it’s supposed to be hard, but it’s also nice picking what I want from life,” Bella said. Nobody had been strict on her growing up, leaving her to be largely self-discovered. 

“Ugh! I wish. She’s always ‘accidentally’ hiding my stuff, trying to make me into her minion. I want to like myself but it’s hard when she won’t get off my back about where I am and who I’m seeing...” It seemed like Jazzie’s family expected her to fall in step with their plans, instead of creating her own. 

“Who you’re seeing? So like, friends?” Bella stabbed a few veggies and popped them into her mouth. 

“Those too. Kiss one girl and you’re immediately a lesbian,” the horse sighed into her foam carry-out plate. 

“No! Really?” 

“Yeah, honestly. It’s difficult, they want me to make friends with more guys but I won’t if it’s because they want grand-kids. That’s just a little too weird for me,” she shuddered. Bella agreed. Hanging out with new people was usually hard, but this was new. Conversation flowed easily, ranging through shared experiences to new places forged by their critical thinking. 

“Can I just say, it’s really awesome to meet someone who gets it. If you need a place to relax and be yourself I don’t mind if you want to come gardening with me, I basically live outside.” Bella hoped she didn’t come across as creepy.

“Me too! I really feel like I can open up to you and tell it how it is for once.” Jaz nodded happily. 

They were quiet for a while, Jazzie following behind Bella as she took care of the plants. The wolf stopped for a second to drink some water, nearly choking when her tail was pulled out of nowhere. 

“Shit, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ve been thinking about how soft it was all day, and I couldn't help myself.” Her ears folded back as she smiled ruefully.

“Don’t worry about it, and my fur would be softer if I’d comb it more often,” she said. 

“I can help with your grooming, that’s like the only thing my mom and I do together. She buys a ton of extra products online, I bet there’s a few bottles that would work for you.” The mare ran her fingers through Bella’s fur, sending tingles up the wolf’s spine. 

“Ah, jeez. If it means getting your hands on me like that again I’m down...” Bella purred quietly. 

“I’ve always wanted to have a girlfriend to be cute and honest and strong with,” the younger woman was sappy, romantic, and faraway in her dreams as she spoke. 

“Why are you so adorable? You’re just making it harder for me,” the wolf whined with a smile. 

“I -” Jazzie looked surprised. “Does that really make you like me?” She seemed unsure.

“Are you kidding? I’m a huge sucker for less experienced partners, teaching is super fun,” the wolf’s lips curled upwards. 

“Oh my god, I didn’t think it was gonna be like that,” the horse replied. 

In response Bella pulled the taller woman’s chin down, allowing her to press their lips together. It started tame but Jaz responded immediately by leaning into the kiss. They exchanged a few tentative nibbles and kisses, both of them noticing excitement from the other. Bella pushed up the mare’s shirt to expose the dark chocolate of her coat, soft and delicate across her stomach. Aching replaced longing as she knelt in front of Jazzie. Her tongue roughed up patches of the woman’s fur, eliciting small whimpers. 

Deciding enough was enough, she took charge and unzipped Jazzie’s pants, pulling them down to her knees. Her thong followed, exposing a glistening wetness that had left a sticky dark patch in the fabric. From above the inexperienced girl watched as the wolf sucked on her thong, getting a taste for her pussy. It was intoxicating to see her wet dreams come true, to be taken care of by another woman. Bella could tell she was enjoying herself, and aimed to continue the fun. She planted her lips between the girl’s thighs, tongue snaking upwards to push between her lips; heightened senses between them caused her partner to tremble, leaning against the edge of the worktable. Jaz couldn’t spread her legs very wide with her pants still halfway on, meaning Bella’s face was pressed close to her thighs as she performed her ministrations. Her nose bumped upwards into Jazzie's clit as she sucked and licked, creating a tickling sensation at first that the horse wasn’t used to. One moment it felt like Bella’s tongue was inside her, the next it was searching her folds and hood. 

If Jaz had been trying to count orgasms she would have been unable, it turned out. Her mind went blank the second her first one hit, and the next few rocked her world. Bella had her lean forward onto the table, sticking her ass out. The wolf ran her fingers from clit to asshole, rubbing meticulously along its way. The tip of her thumb stretched the girl’s hole out, easing in and out while her piercing kneaded her clitoris back and forth in a lazy circle. She sucked hard when she felt another climax approaching, lapping at the waves of sticky fluid that had appeared. Her thumb pierced Jaz’s ass down to her final knuckle, her other hand leaving a few smart slaps on her lady’s rump. 

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum again baby,” Jaz moaned helplessly. Bella continued, deciding that she wouldn’t stop until she thought her partner had actually had enough. It took a while, but she was patient; the horse bucked on her mouth time after time, using up her pent up reserves of sexual energy. Her chocolate fur and Bella’s bronze coat both needed to be cleaned, the smell of sex apparent on both of them. They caught their breath together, both girls sharing giddy smiles. 

“I think you would have liked my best friend Alice,” Bella said.

“What’s she like?” Jazzie pulled her pants up and adjusted herself, taking a few gulps of water from her cup. 

“She’s short, feisty, and has a lot of the same boundless energy you do. Like a rodent version of you, really,” Bells laughed, “I really miss her. Maybe when she comes to visit you two could meet.”

“That sounds fun, like a girl’s night,” the mare smiled. 

Once the young woman had left, Bella took some time for herself. She rolled a blunt and started to puff on it, then got a hair-brained idea. With her smoke between her lips she pulled her clothes out of the way, taking a few nude selfies. She sent one each to Jazzie, Alice, and Sivil to see their reactions. 

[AC] _Holy shit, Bells! Miss me that much? Aha._  
[BG] _Of course I miss you, I found a girl today who needs a little bit of Alice in her sex life_  
[AC] _Oh?? I’ll have to visit when I’m on break again_

[SE] _...Wow._  
[BG] _Bad wow, or good?_  
[SE] _Amazing, literally stunning. If I was driving I’d have had to pull over_  
[BG] _Don’t hurt yourself, hehe._  
[SE] _So, like… are you busy?_  
[BG] _Hm… I was gonna take care of myself, but…_  
[SE] _Tell me how you need it, baby girl._  
[BG] _Meet me in the woods?_  
[SE] _Give me 15._

Bella bit her lip happily. It had been a long time since she’d tried flirting with Sivil, and it seemed like he was free for once. Her heart rate spiked at the thought of his dark blue-black fur against hers, shades of warm orange-red against his shadowy form. It was a total mystery what he was planning with inviting himself over. 

[JE] _Yum. I’ve never smoked before, but looks like you’re having fun_  
[BG] _I’m about to, wink wink. Next time maybe we can play with my toys?_  
[JE] _Oh, toys? Definitely, I’ve never tried those either_  
[BG] _Damn, girl. We gotta introduce you to the adult shops in town!_  
[JE] _I’m too shy, it’s a weird mix of horny anxiety_  
[BG] _Well if you come with me I’ll let you pick something out and we can use it together~_  
[JE] _If you say so, I’m curious now_

The wolf threw her auburn hair into a ponytail and ran out the door. The pads of her feet were strong enough that she didn’t need shoes on the loose path she’d worn into the brush; for the most part only grasses and moss covered the ground. Sivil would probably park his bike close to the trees behind her house, meaning she’d hear him approach. It wasn’t a long walk for her but she hustled, reaching the clearing she often brought partners to. He’d only ever smoked with her here, always platonically. He had seen her nude, usually when she and Alice got too horny to deal with each other, but had never touched. Bella wasn’t sure if he was protecting one of them, too nervous, or if he had feelings for someone – when it came to certain things, she just wasn’t sure. For the most part, she accepted it as part of his privacy. 

[SE] _I can tell how excited you are, your tail is wagging._

She was still alone, she thought. A precursory glance around didn’t show anyone, and Bella certainly hadn’t heard his bike drive up yet. He was right though, her tail had been wagging. So how did he know? She pondered, and realized that she could still play it to her advantage. The wolf stripped.

“Always a flair for the dramatic, but I think I like it,” Sivil’s deep voice rumbled behind her. His large hand rubbed the back of her neck below her hairline; her ass and tail brushed him, accidentally at first but on purpose the second time. 

“What’s different today? You’ve never said yes,” Bella murmured.

“I know you needed me. Alice is gone, right? I wouldn’t make you do everything yourself,” his velvety voice curled around her ears, causing her to blush. 

“I made another friend today, but she’s still too green to help...”

“Yeah? That’s good, baby.” His hands began to pet her methodically, head to toe. They settled down onto the stone bench so that she was comfortable, eyes closed while sunshine warmed her fur from through the canopy. His nails gripped her waist, pulling her ass backwards against his hips; the beginnings of his hard-on was evident through his jeans. Sivil worked his way down her thighs, spreading her legs so she straddled the bench. From behind he reached around and stroked her fluffy pubic fur, nuzzling her neck with kisses. 

“So gentle… Not everyone can stay patient like this,” she mumbled. Most guys would have already bent her over and taken what they needed, but here he was still on step 1. 

“That’s for a good reason, believe me,” Sivil chuckled. His whole palm cupped her mound, squeezing slightly as he did so. It came away sticky – he brushed it off on her nipple, pinching it and rolling the piercing bar around. Her first few moans escaped, making him smile. Heat spread against her ass, a soft tapping letting her know he’d started twitching against her. 

Sivil brought his hand to her mouth, asking her to suck on his fingers. He gave her one, then a second, and a third. Once he was slippery wet he started to play with her, flicking her clit for a few moments before inserting his fingers. They curled upward and found her G-spot, pushing each time he rubbed at her. His wide palm found her clit and played, causing his fingers to move within her as well. The two of them were glued together, the woman leaning back heavily on his chest while he found the rhythm she needed. Her legs lifted up, bent at the knee so she could brace her toes on the edge of the bench. 

“Please give me more, you know I can take it,” she gasped. He’d kept her edging for a few minutes, maddening for the young woman. 

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask, you usually know exactly how it’s going to go,” he teased. He released her pussy and pulled away to undress, freeing his lower body to expose heavily muscled legs and a fat red cock dripping with shiny precum. Her jaw fell open at the sight of his girth.

“Jesus, are you going to fit that inside me?” She sounded doubtful.

“Perhaps, but I’d planned on letting you taste it first,” his eyes held untold sexual mischief, held back by his concern for her. He sat back down on the bench with her.

“That’s a good starting point...” The woman was surprised; he had her feeling sheepish, and that hadn’t happened in years.

“I’m not going to hurt you, promise.”

She was skeptical, especially since he looked wider than most. He reached out to her, his thumb rubbing the space between her eyebrows comfortingly. Bella closed her eyes and opened her mouth, allowing him to fill her. She’d been right, he was a bit larger, but not unpleasantly so. Sivil’s warm, slick member pumped slowly against her tongue, making her think of all the times she’d been in the woods doing this very thing wishing it was him. Time lost meaning for her during blowjobs, it was the weirdest thing. 

“That tongue is going to get me in trouble,” Sivil groaned. His hand came to rest right behind her ear to hold her in place. He had started to twitch inside her maw; she looked up to him, as if to ask what he wanted to do. It was evident he was close – they pulled apart then; she saw his knot was barely visible at the base of his cock. He sat down on the stone bench again, his near-black fur glittering in the dappled sunlight of the late afternoon sun. Bella turned to face him, lifting herself up onto his lap. His arms wrapped around to her ass to hold her ready, the head of his cock planted against her entrance. 

They shared a kiss. It was simple, yet intense and full of emotion. Both of them were out of place in their own world. She wasn’t sure if she was mentally prepared for him, but he was already squeezing himself into her; after a few minutes of slow, rhythmic grinding he’d gotten himself as deep as her tightness would allow. Her wide hips settled down onto him like a firm handshake, taking his breath away. Her soft brown fur rubbed close against his chest, both of her tits squeezing together when her arms wrapped over his shoulders. Sivil had to lean back on his hands since the bench had no backrest, leaving her to take control.

Frustration from that afternoon ebbed away. Thoughts of Jazzie popped like soap bubbles, a moan escaping her lips against his neck. She almost expected the tiny hands of her best friend to reach out and guide her hips on his dick, but it was just an intrusive thought. Alice was far away, and it was just the two of them now. Her pussy tightened impossibly around his shaft, each bounce bringing her dangerously close to her orgasm. Sivil took over then, pounding into her wetness over and over. His grunts and moans were quiet compared to hers, the climax rose quickly as her insides gripped his cock.

“Sivil, I’m cumming!” Her body stiffened up from her pleasure. His hips continued bucking into her.

“Fuck, Alice!” His breath caught in his throat and he grunted his release, holding her close. It didn’t seem like he’d noticed what he’d said, and she was too surprised to say anything. 

They sat together for a while with her still in his lap until their breathing evened out and she could move. His seed dripped out of her onto fallen leaves in the grass. The wolf didn’t bother getting dressed for her walk back to her place, but Sivil donned his pants again once his member had sheathed. She was quiet, but he didn’t seem to be paying attention. There was a hazy look about his expression, and once he sat on the couch she understood why – he was exhausted. The tall jackal laid down and immediately passed out, leaving her basically alone again. Her mood dropped, so she pulled her phone out to text her people. 

[BG] _How was today? >w>_  
[JE] _Ohmygod. It was. Can I come over tomorrow??_

Bella blushed, thinking about how to answer. 

[BG] _Yeah, I work at the nursery tomorrow morning 7am to 3pm, but if you wanna come have lunch with me when I’m on break… :3_  
[JE] _You’re like a nymph. Is that weird?_  
[BG] _Because I like plants, or because I tempt people into forests? Ha._  
[JE] _You haven’t tempted *me* into any forests yet :(_  
[BG] _I can fix that soon._  
[BG] _Wait, I wasn’t supposed to implicate myself, lol_

As a general rule it was best to keep her plans to herself, but when it came to Jaz she decided it wouldn’t hurt to be laid back. She didn’t seem to be looking for anything serious, and with the wolf recently feeling the loss of her best friend it was just enough for now.


	4. Then Say You Like Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice and Bella facetime one morning. Bella can never say no to her best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has been interesting to write, with half of the characters living on the opposite coast. Then again, I've dated long distance so I have a decent idea what Bella's going through. Cheers!

Last week kept looping on repeat. _Fuck, Alice, Alice, Alice –_ Her head was swimming. It made sense that Sivil would miss Alice so much with her move; hell, Bella wasn’t much better these days. She’d been pining, herself. Separation anxiety was a thing, and she suffered it daily as she went through her little mouse withdrawals. They all still messaged often, of course, but not having her close by was unnerving.

“Aliceeeee, I miss you,” Bella video called her friend when she noticed the young woman was online finally. Sivil was still askance the couch, holding one of the cushions captive in his wiry arms. His face was planted underneath the blanket and corner of the pillow he held to shield his view from the window’s lace-filtered motes of dawn. The woman moved through her kitchen with a quiet grace. 

“I miss you too, girly. Was that Siv in the living room I saw?” Her bright teal green eyes flashed close to the screen, squinting to search the pixels for her other friend. Bella chuckled and hummed in response.

“He’s dead to the world, I don’t dare brew coffee though. His insomnia’s been getting worse without you around so he’s been here more often,” her voice was weak, to avoid waking him. Worry creased her soft brow, and Alice chewed her lip. The wolf folded her hand around her mug of herbal tea and padded across the tile floor to her bedroom. “Are you already going to class? It’s only 9.”

“Days start early for me here, I really like it though. We’re so close to campus that I can bike to and from on my breaks. The rain here is so warm, Bells.” Trees moved past her in the background, but she was on foot. Past video calls had shown her that this was the outdoor area of the campus, where walkways between buildings connected through a garden in the center. That was the part of Alice’s college that had interested the wolf the most. 

She slid below her blanket pile, reaching across the sheet of the mattress to find a hidden object among the folds – her vibrating egg, a small palm-sized orb connected by a wire to a controller. Her slim fingers worked it in between her wetness and the underwear she wore, turning it on its lowest setting to keep quiet. Alice was on break between classes for another 45 minutes and they continued to chat idly while the cream-furred mouse studied. 

_Nnnh_. It was getting hard to keep quiet, her toy having been slowly turned up the past 5 minutes. She’d climaxed multiple times already, the high powered device did its work efficiently. The wolf’s silky entrance squeezed against it; her heel nudged at it, pushing it inside with a slick little sucking noise. _Mmm._ Her eyes closed.

“How many have you had so far?” Alice didn’t look up from her book, but the whiskers on her dainty snout quivered cutely. Bella moaned gently, hips rolling under the fuzzy blankets. 

“Four… _Aaah_ , maybe five,” she said sheepishly. “I didn’t know you could tell.”

“I’ve been over here listening the whole time, the microphone on your ear buds are super good, hehe.” Whoops. Does that mean Sivil had noticed in the past and never said anything? Jeez. 

“And yet you didn’t say anything sooner,” the wolf huffed as she pulled her shirt up. From the thumbnail of her cam she saw the piercing was right in view; her fingers teased the tip of her nipple, letting it harden. Her pussy quivered around the egg inside her entrance.

“I’ve been trying, and failing, to read this chapter in social studies.” Her impish features screwed up into a pout that Bella could tell she didn’t mean. The mouse bit her lip, her eyes darting around furtively. “Actually, when you started moaning I had to stop. It’s a good thing I brought my jacket with me, no one’s noticed I’ve been fingering myself,” she admitted to the wolf. 

Her jaw dropped. “You’re really? Oh my god. I think I just came again, I’m so mad I can’t be there,” her voice whined with need. Her tongue wet her lips, the bar piercing reminding both of them of mornings where they stayed in bed late into the morning. 

“Mmhm, I miss you baby,” Alice smiled shyly, huffing curses under her breath as she attempted to keep her cool in public. 

“I really wish you’d cum for me, I miss making you feel good over and over,” Bella panted and gasped into her mic, letting the mouse hear exactly how she felt. She watched the mouse tremble slightly, her lower lip sucked in slightly to stay quiet. By now the wolf had propped her phone up so the mouse could watch, the creamy brown of the wolf’s thighs parted for her to see the shiny vibrator wire peeking from her depths. Her fingers slid up and down against her swollen clit, feeling it twitch and spasm. 

“Hmm… I dare you,” Alice paused, the tone of her voice playful yet demanding, “To go in there and wake Sivil up. I want to watch you two fuck.” Bella blushed bright red under her fur, but nodded shyly. She got up, toy still inside her, and headed to the couch where the sleeping jackal slept. He’d rolled over, his back against the couch back. His front was exposed and the rigid outline of his morning wood was poorly hidden under the light throw blanket he was using. 

Bella pulled the vibrator out of her pussy, crouching low and holding it against the bulge in the blanket. It twitched violently, once, twice, and then his eyes were open. The light pine green of his eyes were fixed on the situation; Bella, in nearly nothing, Alice on the screen of her phone, and the arousing sensation of the toy thrumming through his cock. It was a lot to process the first second he came online, but the bubbling scent of sex floating through the air from the woman was intoxicating for the poor man. He groaned with pleasure as his balls gave a satisfied jolt, the egg having been slid down lower towards them. 

Her phone had been placed on the end table next to the couch, tilted for the mouse to catch all the action. Sivil threw the blanket off, exposing his boxers that had gotten much stickier in the last 5 minutes. The tip of his erection peeked through the opening of his briefs, bright red and begging for attention. 

“Suck on that poor thing, it looks sore,” Alice sighed happily to Bella. She complied, pulling his shorts away from his hips so that she could take his length between her lips. The first few draws against his turgid flesh brought the musky tang of his pleasure, enticing her to continue. Her lashes fluttered demurely when she glanced at her captive audience, who was definitely staring at her screen. Sivil kept glancing at the side table, twitching each time he saw the red-curled hair in focus. Alice was staring. 

Bella did her best to coax the jackal towards the edge, a dance she took rather seriously. They were well-matched on the dance floor as well, giving her the advantage with knowledge on his stamina. His body was something she knew intimately, yet they’d only had contact once before. Neither had mentioned whose name he’d breathed, nor spoken of meeting as lovers again. It was a perverse pleasure of hers to bring her partner to climax for the woman on screen – someone the wolf would do almost anything for. Dedication couldn’t nearly describe the feelings Bella had for her best friend, even if they weren’t together. 

Alice guided her as an extension of herself, bringing the woman to a kneeling position on the man’s lap, his swollen knot burning against her clit where he’d been throbbing into her for a few minutes now. The sticky fluid from deep within Bella had begun to slick her labia down, clear and tacky. Any flesh that came into contact with her sensitive flesh slid perfectly, her hole swollen and begging for something to do. 

“Alright, I think you can fuck him now.” Alice seemed sure they were ready – more than ready. 

“Anything for our beautiful audience,” the sultry clip of Sivil’s voice was enough to send her insides squirming; he twisted her around to face the camera, leaning them back so that her legs were wrapped over the outside of his lap. It was everything she could do to sit still and let him tease her in full view of the mouse. He brought her to near-orgasm with a finger teasing her entrance, switching to her clit to complete it. When her body began to relax against his cock, he slid home. The wolf howled from the stars that dotted her vision suddenly. She had already had so many, and if he was going to do things like that right from the start she had no hope of holding back. Matching pinches squeezed her nipples around the piercing bars, rolling them slowly in rhythm to the music of their bodies. Her hips bucked without her consent, out of time from the tempo he had been keeping. 

Sivil grinned and traced over her neck with his mouth, teeth and lips pulling at her experimentally to discover the noises he could draw from her. Her fingers reached out blindly to find purchase somewhere – anywhere. He folded her arms across her stomach and hugged her close to his chest, pounding mercilessly into her with increasing fervor. Sivil’s swollen knot was coated in excess wetness from Bella’s heat. She’d said last time that it was too big to take, but… This time her heat begged for more, greedy to be stretched open. He gritted his teeth from the tightness she was capable of, pitching her hips up into the air as his own lifted for leverage. 

“H- _haaah_ , Sivil,” Bella whimpered. 

_Pop-_

His knot slid home, just barely fitting inside her. Alice could see it was barely contained inside the wolf’s dripping mess. Their position shifted slightly as he let go of her arms and lifted her legs to her chest, spreading the flexible woman’s legs so that he could grind into her. Bella’s back arched off of his long upper body, her eyes closing and tongue lolling slightly. 

“Beg for it, baby girl,” Alice murmured, borderline breathless. 

“I...” her breath hitched, “I want to feel you fill me up, p-...please.” Her body squirmed on top of him.

“Fuck...” His forehead leaned on her shoulder as he changed his pace, popping his knot in and out slowly so he could feel her stretch and pull at his widest point. He hissed into her fur a moment before he lazily pumped his seed into her, stroking the walls of her sex with his slippery cock. Cum slid down his shaft and allowed him to continue pumping into her for a while after he’d finished climaxing, torturing the wolf he still held captive.

“Don’t tell me you’re broken already,” he chuckled. Sivil eased her legs down into a relaxed position, which freed his arms up. His thumb and pointer finger pinched the hood of her clit and exposed the tender nub of nerves, slowly stroking it with a sticky fingertip. The force of her orgasm rocked her muscles, pushing a wave of fluid from her abused pussy. Bella proceeded to pass out, the strain on her senses causing her system to temporarily shut down to recover energy.

When she woke up from her impromptu nap, it was a few hours later. A small piece of paper was resting next to her phone, which was now hooked up to a charge cord. 

"_Thank you so much for today, I’m sorry for leaving before you wake up again, but I didn’t want to stir you from your nap. Hope you recover well~ Alice went back to class and I had to get ready for work. Take care, hun. -Sivil_"

While she hadn’t actually gotten to play with Alice, it had been nice to involve her. They’d never done sexy video chats yet, but she had to say the first one was a success. The last few months without her had been difficult, for both friends. It seemed that seeking comfort from each other helped (especially while showing off to their long-distance lady-friend). It didn’t seem like Alice and Geo were in a monogamous relationship, otherwise she wouldn’t have been taking the liberties that she had today. At least, that was the most logical option Bella could think of. Her ears burned with embarrassment at the idea that her friend had caught her masturbating, thankful that the fox hadn’t been nearby to catch them. It was thrilling, and stressful. 

[BG] Hey, was today okay? I don’t want to make things weird now that you’re with him.  
[AB] _Oh Bells, no boy could come between us. Cum between us, maybe, lol._  
[BG] >.> So like, are you two serious? You haven’t really spoken about it recently.  
[AB] _We’re pretty serious, yeah. Turns out he’s a trust fund baby, so I lucked out there. His dad is some big shot surgeon here at a hospital, it’s super cool._  
[BG] Just don’t rush too fast, I don’t want you to have regrets ^^  
[AB] _Just co-living, so far. I’m fine with it so far, he works sort of weird hours for the security business but it’s okay_  
[BG] That still sucks, I’m sure that it’s been rough. x_x  
[AB] _Mmhm… I’m glad I’ve still got you two, tho. That video call made my homesickness feel better for a while, although I miss those thighs of yours now. Woof._  
[BG] That’s my line, holy cow. I feel guilty seeing this girl I met, but without you here I need more support… Especially sexy support.  
[AB] _Girl! We’ve talked about this. I want to have hot details about your hook ups, I’m addicted to tea._  
[BG] Well, Jaz is super tall, and I’m her first girl I think. At least her first in a while. She’s this adorkable chestnut mare with straw-colored hair and these chocolate brown eyes that are so wide and innocent that I’m literally touring sexy stores to break her in. I’m so ready to show her my collection, she’s never even tried a vibrator baby  
[AB] _NO?!! How can a girl her age not have at least tried toys? The internet is amazing!!_  
[BG] Right? Hey, I think I might actually do that with her today. Are you serious about hearing everything?  
[AB] _If I could be there with you to help, you know I’d be driving us to Spence’s right now. Get a strap-on, I think this one’s a keeper. Tee hee~_  
[BG] You might be right. She seems eager to learn… I’ll hit you up soon with results. Bye beautiful, love you!  
[AB] _Go get her, big bad wolf. Horse for dinner, yum._


	5. I Just Need to Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella's doing her best to understand the changes in her friends. Sivil is breaking down and they're looking to each other for strength. Jazzie tries to help her think through things. When did friendship get so hard? And will Alice come back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to avoid angst, how do I keep finding it?? Aghh! >:c

Jazzie and Bella were abnormally quiet on the way home from the adult shop. The wolf’s bright blue eyes flicked across to the dark chocolate mare sitting in the passenger seat of her truck, noticing that the girl seemed flustered. The girls had walked aisle to aisle looking at everything the store had on its shelves, picking up boxes to read the packaging or to check sizing. Ultimately, they’d ended up buying a couple different toys. 

Bella giggled gleefully when she’d seen the horse cock strap-on dildo, and the unexpected blush and interest from Jaz sealed the deal. At the store they’d remarked about how it would end up the only one they both liked was… a horse. Neither had been keen on trying the rhino cock that was boxed neatly in the rack next to it, that was sure. The wolf had purchased a new vibrator, a wearable variety with a small dildo and a curved tip. A blindfold made from silky black material was bundled up at the bottom of the bag, something they were both interested in using. A picture of the spoils of their adventure had been sent to Alice, who had sent back a string of supportive emojis. 

“When we get to the house I want to shower, I feel gross,” Bella said. Summer in Oregon could get harrowing if you had thick fur, and the wolf generally preferred to stay out of direct sunlight to avoid overheating. 

“Mind if I join? I feel a little sticky, myself.” Jazzie’s forelock had been clipped up as they’d walked around that afternoon. She seemed to hate being in the heat, too. 

“Oh, I had no plan to let you escape. I’d enjoy scrubbing your back,” Bella’s voice dripped with intent. The woman beside her turned into a flustered mess, groaning shyly. Her ears were folded back and she’d started chewing on her bottom lip with a barely-contained smile hiding away. They’d been seeing each other casually for about a month but it still shook the younger woman when Bella went on the hunt for her haunches. 

☾~☽

The shower had nearly heated up while Bella and Jaz explored each other’s bodies against the bathroom counter top. Wolf claws grasped and squeezed equine nipples within the mirror, the flash of a blue eye and half a golden brown snout behind dark chocolate ribs barely visible. A hand fisted the base of the horse’s braided tail and suddenly the hair was released from its plait. Another tug, for good measure, and she was released with a smart spank to the rounded flesh of her ass. 

“Ah!” She squeezed the tingling away, spinning around to Bella, who was still crouched on the floor with mischief in her eyes. 

“I’m sorry, did that hurt?” Her voice was silky and barely masked the hunger she had. 

“Maybe,” Jaz pouted. She turned back around to present the injured cheek, leaning over the counter. “I want a kiss to make it better, please. It’s only fair...”

“I can do that for you, raise your tail for me gorgeous,” Bella purred against the horse’s curves. A twitch from the mare and her tail was flicked to the side, exposing the swollen pink of her waiting insides, the tiny rosette of her anus directly above it. Instead of kissing the cheek of her ass, the wolf pressed the full of her snout into Jaz’s pussy for a solid kiss with tongue. Her partner squealed, legs trembling slightly from sudden arousal. 

“Let’s get into the shower, I want...” Jaz groaned slowly, Bella’s tongue ring bumping against her clit cutting her thoughts short. Her lips vibrated from the chuckle against it, and with that the wolf stood up. The water was warm enough for them to strip and enter the shower, immediately against each other. They both had a hand cupping the other’s heat, mimicking each other’s movements while they kissed. Bella penetrated first, her two middle fingers plunging into the woman’s sex with ease. With their size difference, her body could accommodate anything Bella gave her. 

“You’re amazing,” Jazzie gasped from above as she watched the wolf curl her fingers and then – oh. Oh yes. The walls of her pussy hugged at the wolf’s golden fingers, hungrily squeezing around her hand. 

“Thank you,” Bella smiled warmly, withdrawing her hand. They began to cleanse themselves of the salty sweat coating their fur and replaced the scent with herbal soaps, the bubbles slicking their bodies up. As Jaz grew more comfortable they’d played back and forth more often, though she seemed happy to be the more submissive of the pair. Her hands snaked out to the wolf’s nipples, teasing the shiny bars peeking from the body wash. Unlike Alice, Jaz had no piercings yet, showing interest in the wolf’s but not in getting any of her own. 

“I’m ready when you are,” Jaz leaned over Bella’s back to lip her jawline playfully. A palm rubbed the water running down Bella’s front to follow its flow between her legs. The shorter woman hissed happily when the warm water made contact with her spread lips. Her shoulders leaned into Jaz, who had grabbed the removable head of the shower. Bella placed a foot up on the edge of the tub so that they had room for the water head. The drumming of the water against her tender skin had her shaking against the taller woman, who seemed to be mesmerized by the fact that she was the one making the wolf squirm. 

“This isn’t any fair,” Bella whimpered after her second orgasm. The horse nickered with amusement. 

“Serves you right for teasing me first,” was all she said before hopping out of the steamy shower. 

The bathroom wasn’t as warm as the bathroom, but they changed that quickly. The bed was a mess, tangled limbs and tails and two voices moaning against each other. Their toys had been cleaned first, thankfully, or else they might not have used them at all at that point. Bella’s lips pulled away from the mare’s pussy with a noisy smack, her hand grabbing roughly – giving it a squeeze, then a spank straight to her messy lips. 

“Hey!” Jaz gasped. Her cheeks were visibly flushed, but the clear juice flowing from her hips gave her away. 

“Hush,” Bella crooned, sliding the wearable vibrator into the waiting pussy beneath her. It wasn’t on yet, but Jaz seemed to enjoy it already. She pushed it in and out a few times experimentally before turning it on; the effect was immediate. As if shocked, the mare’s ass lifted off the bed. 

“Oh god, oh god, oh wow,” Jazzie whimpered over and over, hands instinctively reaching for her own nipples. The wolf’s nails scored lines through her damp flesh, sending spasms through her core. 

“That’s right, cum for me pretty baby,” Bella murmured, nudging the hands away from her nipples so that she could suck them instead. Sharp canines pinched puffy pink flesh, the woman beneath her squealing and climaxing for her again and again. 

“Bella, fuck me,” the horse’s eyes were already rolled back- but how could she say no?

“Hug your knees to your chest and don’t let go until I say so,” Bella ordered. She slid into her belt, the cock hanging low with its weight. The vibrator was pulled away, revealing a mess that required no extra lube. Her clawed thumbs pulled the outer labia wide open, the almost-flare of the horse tip resisting entry. With a nudge of her hips it slid in, the entire length somehow fitting within Jaz. She sucked a thumb, gripping ass so that she could spread the bud of the mare’s ass with it so she could fill it with a different vibrator. Once it was inside and turned on low, she began to pump into the writhing woman. 

Bella’s hands braced on the back of Jazzie’s knees to keep them pressed up against her chest, the sound of the toy working the young woman’s insides into a messy puddle spurring both of them on. Each orgasm flooded her walls with extra slick lubrication allowing the smaller woman to continue fucking her until all that came from the bottom woman was senseless whimpering in between sharp moaning and screaming. 

“You can lower your legs, honey,” Bella petted her partner’s forehead softly, strap-on still buried to the hilt in the equine. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know if I can move now,” she admitted from among the blankets. 

“I’d call that a successful investment, then,” Bella teased. She left a kiss on the soft snout of her lady. They’d fallen together in bed, both comfortable and happy to wrap up together and rest. Neither expected to fall asleep, but the nap was well-deserved for both. 

☾~☽

“Bells?” 

A knock on the door roused the wolf from her coveted sleeping position on top of Jazzie’s chest. The horse was dead to the world, no doubt worn completely out by their lovemaking earlier. She shook her head to clear the barrier of sleep holding her down.

“Hmm?” She didn’t speak loudly, but the door popped open very slightly, with a green eye hovering high above her. The scent of female sex must have blasted him because his pupils had spread to fill his irises. He hesitated, unsure. “Sivil, it’s okay. She’s under the blankets and asleep,” Bella mumbled. 

“Is this the girl you’ve been telling me about?” His whole head popped in but he still seemed nervous. 

“Yes, now get in here if you’re coming in, don’t if you’re not,” she said.

“Is that okay?” His feet shuffled in, eyes on the dark-furred horse who was doing her best to curl up like a house cat under the sheets. 

“It will be if you stop acting weird,” she huffed playfully. 

“Alright...” He comes into her room, the stiff tent of his pants showing once he nudged the door open wider. 

“Actually, that reminds me. I have something for you to try on,” Bella grinned sadistically. She went to find the black satin blindfold, holding it out to the dark jackal. The fabric was a few shades darker than his fur. His cheeks flared pink under his fur, hidden by the fluff covering it. Sivil cleared his throat, thinking.

“You’re choosing an odd time to show me this,” he joked dryly. 

“Hm, not really,” her smile held secret plans that he couldn’t understand. 

“I’m going to disappoint you today...” He approached her, wrapping the long strip of fabric around her waist to hold her close. The sensation sent her back to countless days and nights lost to dancing between them. Her breath hitched; the tone of his voice said no, but her body was reacting ‘yes’ to him. 

“What do you mean?” She tried to sound relaxed, which probably worked, but she wasn’t. 

Sivil’s long snout buried into her hair, placing a soft smooch between her ears. “I was driving by and wanted to talk to you about my next trip, since you said you wanted to go with.” 

It wasn’t what she’d been expecting, but she wasn’t upset. “Oh! Wait, so soon?” He had just gotten back from Florida, where he’d been able to visit Alice. She’d been expecting him to say it’d be weeks or months. 

“Well, sort of. It’s a small race, but it’s right across town from where she’s been staying,” his eyes sparkled. He must have had his manager find something close for him. 

“That’s really awesome, yeah I’ll go,” the wolf’s tail wagged happily. He smiled and kissed her crown again before letting go.

“Good, she misses you. And I miss having you two together,” he was quiet, so very quiet. Their eyes met knowingly.

From the bed, a sleeping knicker from the horse distracted Bella. She pulled them out into the hallway, her left arm curled over top of his right so that her hand rested on his bicep. Their noses almost touched as she led him to the living room, one step at a time. His back steps were so long that she would never dream of being able to step on his toes. 

“So? Did you two…?” Bella’s blue eyes searched his pine green ones, wiggling her eyebrows. 

“Oh! ...No, Geo was there.” His ears laid back slightly, daunted. His left hand circled her wrist and pulled it up, their fingers twisting together. They were rocking foot to foot, moving slightly in time with each other. Slow music played in their minds, different songs, but a shared beat. 

“You need to tell her,” Bella whispered to him against his chest, “It’s killing you.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, she’s happy,” he grumbled. 

“She’s always happy, satisfy yourself too,” she supplied. The beating under her head grew heavier, then calmed again. 

“I’ve thought about it,” he said dreamily, “But don’t you think if she was interested that she would have tried, too?”

“Alice doesn’t wait for anyone to get themselves ready, she just… does things. And that usually means she’s not keeping up with who’s feeling what – so if you want her to notice you for more than our video calls you need to encourage her,” Bella said.

“She’s so far away, and living with someone now. That usually signals your chances are over, no?” He sighed. 

“Not exactly. She said she was going with him to finish college, and I haven’t heard anything about her staying. You know that wild child doesn’t settle just anywhere,” she reminded him. “I think she’s keeping her options open. Even if she’s not, maybe she’d see your feelings and share them?” 

“Bells, don’t tease me like that. I can’t,” he sounded weakened, exposed. Her left hand squeezed against the muscles of his arm where the tension was knotting his body up. He relaxed forcibly. 

“Siv, I’m not trying to get your hopes up. You can clearly do that just fine on your own,” the woman tried to joke, looking for a smile anywhere on his features. It was there, but not heartfelt. 

“I don’t recall telling you about any of this, when did you get so knowledgeable?” His cheek rested on the top of her head, pressing her ears wide. They’d stopped swaying and had fallen into a simple embrace. 

“Honey I’ve always seen both of you, and that’s why I’m telling you all of this. I’m not trying to get your hopes up, I’m just saying that if you want our mouse to come home you might be the piece of cheese she didn’t know she was hungry for,” she chuckled. He hummed into her hair. 

“You make me sound like bait to bring your best friend home, I dunno if I can trust you,” Sivil laughed.

She smiled impishly against his chest, nuzzling against him in an effort to comfort him. He hauled her up and carried her; back to the room with her sleeping partner, where the scent of flesh seared her sinuses again. Yum.

“Changed your mind on the blindfold?” Her smile was inviting, and he was certainly interested, but he paused.

“Hm… Not tonight, we’d better pack.” His matching smile warmed her. 

“Fine, but you owe me,” she chided.

“Just make sure you have your leathers, I don’t think my backup chaps would fit your short little legs,” Sivil stuck his tongue out and waved in parting. She had already begun planning by the time she heard the front door latch again. 

“Hmm?” Two sleepy chestnut eyes blinked from under a blanket. 

“Sorry babe, did we wake you up?” Bella moved closer to the bed, her fingers smoothing out Jazzie’s fur. 

“No, I didn’t even know I was asleep,” the mare admitted.

“I’ll say, I took a nap too.” She went back to packing, fitting her duffel into the chair at her writing desk. It already had a week’s worth of clothes among other things. Deeper in the closet was a set of riding leathers that she shook out, the smell of treated leather filling the air around her. Underneath those was her helmet, vaguely bullet-shaped to fit her muzzle. 

“Are you leaving?” Jaz watched the wolf pack, stretching.

“In a few days, yeah. Could I get you to water my plants while I’m gone?” She glanced over her shoulder at the woman in bed. 

“Of course, just leave me notes on which ones to be careful with.” She smiled. 

“Thank you! I’ve gotta make sure my idiot friend doesn’t mess up his chance with my other idiot friend, and it’s kind of important. I wish you could come see Sivil race, but he’s got some closer to home next month.” She babbled while wandering around her room grabbing things. Stories about the two friends, especially ones where they obviously liked each other, explained why she was so adamant about hooking them up. 

“How long have you been trying to get them together?” 

“Yikes, too long. Originally I wasn’t doing anything about it, but when Alice left… How could I leave Sivil like that? I had to try, and I’ve been testing the waters with both of them. I think they’re dense.” 

“Huh. Why didn’t he speak up before she moved away?”

“Good question. He figured that it was already a done deal, that she would rather have her frat boy instead of him.” Bella sighed. “And as for her, I don’t even know if she’s noticed him like that. I won’t ask her about it until I can see her with Geo, the guy she’s staying with. Like I said, dense.” They nodded sagely, two wise women on the outside of a seemingly obvious problem.

“That means he needs to make the first move. He’s been pining for her! I can tell.”

“You can lead a jackal to love, but you can’t make him think.” Bella smiled a toothy grin.

“What if you parent trapped them?” Jaz’s brow raised.

“Nah, I think they’d know. I’m expecting him to crack when he has to separate her and me,” the wolf confided. “If he sees me having to go back alone, it’ll be enough. He doesn’t do anything for himself, but if it’s for others...” She trailed off, lost in thought.

“How about going straight to Geo? I mean it’s a bit greasy but you could tempt him away.” 

“I don’t think I could do that to Alice… But if I could show him how they’re perfect for each other and hopefully he’s nice and lets it go,” She didn’t have much hope for any of this; the heart, as shown in most classic romance stories, isn’t something you can meddle with easily. Too many moving parts, such an impossible level of unknowable factors. 

“Maybe. You have to keep me updated, ah!” Jaz flung herself back against the bed with a flourish.

“You’re so dramatic. If we weren’t taking his motorcycle I’d suggest taking you with me, to hell with the plants for a few days. You might be what these guys need to shake their ideas up.” Bella rolled up a raincoat and tucked it away in her bag. 

“You’re just saying that because you hate playing matchmaker,” Jazzie teased. It was close to true, her friends were just… a lot. Usually it wasn’t so bad, but she’d literally grown up watching the two of them. 

“If they would speak more plainly I’d have fewer headaches,” she whined. Her packing was done, except for hygiene products. 

“Bring me home a good story,” the horse sighed dreamily. Her legs fell open, bringing Bella in close.

“How about we make a good one right now?” She growled, climbing over the bed to the longer woman. The effect was immediate.

“O-oh, definitely. Is it going to have a happy ending?” Her long chocolate lashes batted innocently. But damn, she’d gotten more confident the last few weeks. 

“Hey,” Bella gasped, “No spoilers.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanna smoke about it? Bella can't say no, and learns a few things about Raelin.

The bike tilted heavily under her weight, righting itself when she settled onto the passenger seat. In front of Bella was Sivil, geared up and prepared for their trip. Lashed to the seat back behind her was both their bags, meaning her hips were wedged right up against his tail. The key clicked somewhere ahead of her and the engine gunned to life. Immediately her abdomen began to vibrate with the energy of the vehicle, exciting her greatly. 

“Alright, we’ll be stopping in Colorado to rest so get comfy,” he hollered behind his shoulder as they revved up to leave the driveway. Her thighs gripped his tightly, leaving her hands free to hide in her hoodie pockets. Underneath the innocuous fabric hid a leather riding vest. She was warm, even when the wind kicked up around her. 

The pair were in a vacuum of space-time, allowing her to clearly see the universe as it passed; the roads - whether shared by other vehicles or deserted, the foliage twisting past, the constant rush of air. She’d never drive her own bike, but to be on the road like this brought her closer to her lost family than anyone could guess. The rush of the ride ran through her veins, inherited from her mother and father equally. It only made sense that she gravitated towards Sivil the way she did; he was the other side of her coin. As they rode on she pondered over that fact, concerned that perhaps she’d been the one holding the two friends’ relationship back. 

After all, it had been her who’d been sleeping with Sivil for months now, and Alice had seemed happy for them. She leaned with the jackal to take them around the curve of a mountain, rising up the peak only to plunge their way down the other side. But did that mean that she was discouraging Sivil from admitting his feelings? 

They pulled off to the shoulder of the road, Sivil leaning on his feet to keep them balanced. He nudged the wolf from her thoughts, directing her attention to a doe with two fawns on the other side of the road. They admired the nature for a moment, until the small family was out of view.

“She’s so lucky,” Bella commented.

“How so?” Sivil reached to the water bottle he had clipped to his belt. 

“Two babies, and they’re so big,” her voice was wistful, “I’m happy for that doe, she’s such a good mom.” 

“You’re so positive sometimes,” was all he said before stowing his drink and getting back onto the road. 

☾~☽

“These mountains aren’t so bad.” Bella was perched on the motorcycle while they sat at a roadside rest stop, blunt in hand. A never ending parade of cars traveled by in front of them as they passed the smoke. They’d stopped overnight at Salt Lake and were currently in the very bottom left corner of Colorado, headed for New Mexico. Before the wolf reached her destination she would be visiting 6 new states she’d never seen. Her eyes were in constant motion from her perch on the back of the bike. They stopped for meals in places she’d never seen and slept in towns she’d never heard of outside of reading the atlas as they drove by. 

“Yeah, I like the Cascades more. There’s no ocean out here so it smells wrong.” He was checking the bike and gear. She agreed, but she thought things smelled good still. Especially the dispensaries. There were a few more days they’d be driving before making it to another ocean, one she’d never seen before. Tampa was so distant from her world in the Pacific Northwest. 

“I never thought about how long it takes to drive across the country,” Bella noted.

“Definitely not a day trip,” Sivil said dryly. He closed the saddle bags and pulled his helmet over his head. She tapped the blunt out and stowed it. The lithe wolf hopped into her seat behind the waiting man. Ahead of them lay miles of pavement to devour.

☾~☽

Tampa came into view in the same way that Portland did every time they visited; the cityscape glittered in the sunlight, partially covered by cloud cover from the ocean’s mist. There was a certain nostalgia to the roads they followed, even though each one took her past stores and businesses she’d never heard of. The pair pulled around to a house that had a wider than normal driveway – this was Alice’s home, where she’d been staying with Geo. He’d picked the place out and paid the rent outright for a year with his father’s money. 

“Looks… expensive.” Bella didn’t know what to say. 

“Mmhm,” he hummed in agreement. He cut the engine and the front door swung open, the diminutive mouse barreling them over the second they’d dismounted the bike. They were a mess of limbs and torsos for a solid minute, each of them so happy to see the other that they didn’t notice the arctic fox staring from the porch. He wasn’t alone; the maned wolf from before, Raelin, was standing off behind him nursing a cigarette short. 

Bella stepped back from them finally so that she could stretch – her body was tightly bound into a sitting position that she systematically pulled herself out of. “Man, that ride could have been 12 hours shorter and I’d be all the happier for it,” she whined.

“You’re not the one who drove the whole way,” Sivil popped off. 

“What, you’d like to see me drive your baby?” Her lashes batted innocently; both of them knew she couldn’t handle the engine on his 86 VMAX. 

“Are you bringing that antique here to insult me again?” Raelin quipped from under the porch. It was just then that she noticed a different model motorcycle off to the side of the house. Instead of Sivil’s cherry red finish, it was a simple black paint job. Bella walked over to it and circled a few times, looking at the curves of this new baby. 

“Wait, you’ve got a newer VMAX?” Bella’s head tilted, “You didn’t bring this with you to Oregon or I’d have noticed.”

“Oh no, she’s definitely not who I take when it’s the group going places,” he replied coolly. He’d rolled the cherry out of the smoke he’d had and then walked back into the house. She watched him go. What was with him?

“That’s Raelin for you,” Alice said as she walked over to the wolf.

“I’ve had his number for almost seven months and I’ve barely gotten a whole conversation out of him that whole time,” Bella complained. 

“Yeah, he’s definitely hard to communicate with if he’s not ready,” she agreed. “He’s an annoying pissant when he has half a mind to be, otherwise he’s unreachable.” 

“Sounds like you’ve had fun with him,” Bella laughed. Alice frowned emphatically at her friend before following the crowd inside. The bags had already been taken inside while she’d been admiring Raelin’s bike. 

She entered into the building whose walls and windows were adorned with Halloween decor for the upcoming holiday. It was a three bedroom two bath, the first guest room holding Raelin for the time being; Sivil and Bella were being put in the third bedroom. There was a writing desk with a full bookshelf next to it, mostly textbooks and studying materials. In the window was a small plant, she noticed. Her duffel bag was on the end of the bed beside his travel bag. The woman paused, realizing she felt gross from her trip. A shower would be really nice.

Inside the bathroom she checked the shower for soaps. She’d packed her own, but Alice was known to keep her home stocked with plenty of supplies. Once the water was running she’d stripped. Her body and mind weren’t completely in sync, allowing her to zone out and float as steam filled the room to keep her bare body warm. Two raps at the door startled her out of it. 

“Yeah?” Her voice came out stronger than she felt. 

The door opened, Raelin’s body becoming visible. Bella shrieked and scrambled for her towel. His gaze leveled with hers as he presented her phone in his palm. She huffed and grabbed it from him so that he could close the door. She relaxed slower the second time she was alone, worried someone else would come interrupt again. Thankfully she was able to shower in peace, distracted by anything and nothing in particular.

☾~☽

Clattering from the stairwell brought Alice and Bella to a standstill. Sivil came rushing in, fairly matched in step by Raelin. They stopped short at the kitchen threshold, the jackal charged with energy that the maned wolf was doing well to ignore. 

“What are you two on about?” Alice started.

“Raelin’s trying to be weird!” Sivil growled, his body posture hostile and warning towards the other male.

“You’re making a big deal over nothing,” Raelin replied. He met the women’s eyes in turn before speaking to Bella, “I’d like to share a room with you. Is that fine?”

She stared him down. “Says the man who’s hardly messaged me in seven months.”

“I’d rather have that discussion in private, no need for an audience.” He shifted slightly, noticeably discomforted by the eyes focused on him.

“You moved my bag without saying anything!” His shadow menaced again, bristling. 

“You’re serious but I am too, step back about two feet,” Raelin said. He glanced down into the pocket his hand was in, scrounging through cellophane and receipt papers to pull out a tightly twisted pre-rolled joint. “Wanna smoke about it before giving me your answer?”

“Sivil stop acting like my dad.” Her arms crossed and she settled her weight over one hip. Alice, for once, was blessedly quiet. She was watching the way Sivil was acting out, concern brewing. The wolf knew she was thinking hard about something. “This gives you a chance to spend time with Alice alone, I know you had something on your mind.” The implication was heavy between them, causing him to suddenly withdraw. His attitude shifted and the hot-headed man cooled down. 

“I’m sorry for throwing a tantrum, I was simply concerned,” His gaze left Raelin and fell to Alice, “She’s right, though. I was going to see if we could talk privately.” 

“What is this Rom-Com nonsense y’all are trying to pull on me right now?” Alice bemused. 

Raelin lifted the joint to his lips and lit it, handing it off to complete a rotation. Everyone pulled a drag; once it returned he left the room. Bella followed him as he made his way upstairs to the room her things were in. She noticed that his two bags were on the floor in the corner as Sivil had said. He sat at the desk, leaving her with the bed. They sat facing each other and smoked idly for a while.

“I’d hoped to avoid all of that,” He began. 

“You poked the bear,” She chided. He rolled his eyes.

“The dark knight can stick it in his dark hole, I’m not interested in playing around with him.” He passed the joint back to her, nearing the last third of the roll. 

“What’s your goal tonight?” She was searching to find his intent.

“Privacy, and a selfish request for your attention,” his low-lidded gaze swept over her. His arms drew her gaze over his form in a flourish, “I’d like to clear the air, for better or worse. I have had a terrible time since we parted ways.”

He was so dramatic. She wasn’t sure if he was doing it on purpose or if it was actually his personality to bring out the suspense. It was… definitely something. “So why the radio silence?”

“I was scared.” Raelin put the spent roach out in his palm and threw away the filter. “You lived so far away, who was to say I’d ever see you again? Things like that happen. How was I supposed to know if I was lucky enough to be face to face with you again? I’ve never found anyone of interest so far from myself, and it’s not my style to have nice things.”

“So you just… held all of this in, just in case I was a blip on your radar?” Her brow wrinkled. The woman didn’t understand how anyone could simply ignore feelings like that.

“As one does with cases of unrequited love,” His smile was faint, but it seemed to pull at her. Bella saw pain there, certainly not because of her. They’d barely gotten to know each other. How could this stranger bring her such a distinct urge to learn everything he had to offer? She didn’t have anyone else giving her that feeling, and rightly never had before.

“Is it unrequited if you’ve never confessed before?” She murmured. Bella’s blue eyes traced the shape of his sitting form again, more questions popping up unbidden. He watched her intently during her appraisal. 

“I suppose your decision tonight gives me an answer.” Raelin stood up and made the two paces to reach her side, leaning in close. His fur smelled spicy, like cloves or cinnamon perhaps. She blinked rapidly to bring his sudden appearance into focus. His hot breath danced over her lips. When she made no move to pull away he leaned in and kissed her; it was full of questioning from both sides as they introduced their tongues, hers greeting his with interest. A quiet groan from the smaller wolf encouraged him to take a portion of her lower lip between his, sucking with a small pop. He pulled away to check the mess he’d left behind. 

Bella whimpered from the abrupt end to the kiss, eyes hazy and liquid beneath her dark lashes. He grinned and adjusted himself before sitting on the bed. Raelin lazily reclined on the fluffy pillow top, taking off the hoodie that was almost back in season. Underneath was a wine red Henley with dark grey trim and sleeves, form-fitting and distracting. With a large sigh she piled onto the bed beside him, curling comfortably beside his ribs so that he could pet her head soothingly. Her legs were comically short compared to his when they laid beside each other, with her shin fitting in between his thighs to keep warm. Neither spoke, her silence being guided by his. 

“I won’t take anything you aren’t giving freely,” he said firmly. There needed to be no mistaking his intentions.

“That’s fine. I’m okay with you staying tonight. But I need to know you, before the rest falls into place.” She didn’t know what else to say, since she’d done wilder things in her past with fewer regrets. 

“Of course. Tonight is mainly for the two impossible love birds next door.”

“What?” She sat up, but he held her arm and tucked her back into place.

“Shush, listen.” They both stilled. Faint whimpers came from the next room over, and she could tell from the pitch and tone that it was Sivil and Alice. It felt weird, hearing them from so close without knowing what was going on. Her body itched to move, to find them. Understanding dawned on the wolf.

“Wait, you’re doing this to hook them up? Isn’t that basically a parent trap?” The doubt in her voice caused him to laugh, soft and airy because he was laying down. 

“Whatever it was, it worked right? Those two are supposedly star-crossed lovers or something?” He scoffed, as if to claim it wasn’t difficult to set them up. Then again, she’d never actually tried yet. Huh.

“That’s… I’m mildly annoyed you did it before I could.” Her ears laid back. 

“For now let’s just enjoy the fruits of our labor.” He settled in and closed his eyes, smiling. 

She slowly relaxed against him, a single eye cracked open to watch his breathing and his fur move with the breeze from the AC. He was handsome. The fur inside his large, oval ears was light grey; there were rings of the same color around his eyes, reminding her of a tired stray tabby back home. His hair had a wild curl to it, the longer parts forming whole mini ringlets. In the sunset-lit bedroom it was adorable with all the random hairs that glittered golden from within the chocolate mess. 

“Staring is rude.”

“Sorry. Is it too awkward with them doing it next door?” She blinked once and closed her eyes again. 

“No, but if you’re going to look at me for such a long time I’d prefer you were asking questions.” He smiled, showing half a toothy grin. 

“Where were you born?”

“A nowhere town in Jersey. You?”

“A nowhere town in Oregon.” 

She returned fire as rapidly as he had. They exchanged questions and answers for hours, long after the other room had gone quiet. It kept them busy and engaged until they began to tire. Neither had ever been so straightforward with another person, but the two of them were interested in knowing more. ADD ran in their families, striking both of them with the affliction. Poverty had held them down, and they’d muscled their way through. Indeed, many striking resemblances to her life stood out as he explained his childhood in passing. Sleep caught up with her eventually, allowing him silence at last. The wolf’s dreams were peaceful, all the people she loved nearby. A dream nearly come true.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thankful for my readers, rereaders, skimmers, and proofreaders. ^^


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